DR1 Travel News - 6 February 2018

La Vega Carnival Museum
Santo Domingo carnival parade on 25 February 2018
Open waters swims
Where is the doctor? Probably in the DR at a medical convention
Shorter migration and customs times for ferry passengers

La Vega Carnival Museum
The carnival that immortalized the celebration in the Dominican Republic is that of La Vega. The organization and colorful characters turned the Sunday February carnival parades into an attraction for domestic and foreign tourists.

Now, there is the Museo Carnaval Vegano. The museum celebrates the best of the La Vega carnival. The museum was designed by architect Raúl Morilla and funded by the Medina administration.

The museum has eight exhibition halls and an audiovisual hall to tell the story of the carnival and allow for visitors to enjoy the carnival all throughout the year, and not just on Sundays in February. On display are the masks, costumes, crowns worn by the carnival kings, photographs and videos of past carnivals.

President Danilo Medina himself attended the inauguration in La Vega on Thursday, 1 February 2018 and was hosted by Martin Duquela, president of the Unión Carnavalesca Vegano, organizer of the February carnival.

The museum is located off the Parque de las Flores, on Padre Adolfo corner Duvergé streets in central La Vega city. Visits are free in February.

There are carnival celebrations every Sunday in the cities of La Vega, Bonao and Santiago.

Santo Domingo carnival parade on 25 February 2018
The Courtyard Santo Domingo Marriott is inviting the public to visit Santo Domingo in February 2018, in time to watch the big carnival 2018 parade. The Santo Domingo carnival is the biggest of celebration, with the parade on the Malecon set for Sunday, 25 February 2018 starting at 4pm. More than 125 costumed-dancing groups will be parading. The hotel is promoting special deals for those traveling to the city for the carnival.

The National District 25 February parade is organized by the Unión Carnavalesca del Distrito Nacional (UCADI), a division of the National District city hall (ADN).

Open waters swims
Those who enjoy open water swims should consider registering for the StonoTri Cap Cana set for Sunday, 11 March 2018 in the Punta Cana area. The open water swims are part of the StonoTri Cap Cana 2018 event that also includes the Triathlon Sprint, Triathlon Olympic and Triathlon Olympic Relay events. The open water swims are in the 1.5K and 3K categories. Registration for RD$3,100 is online at laboleteria..do

Where is the doctor? Probably in the DR at a medical convention
This year more than 40 medical conventions organized by medical associations in the Dominican Republic will be held. And the majority of these are scheduled for Punta Cana resorts, according to the Farma-Salud Calendar 2018.

Among the conventions listed to be held in Punta Cana are:
In April: the Latin American Gynecology and Encrinology Congress at the Hotel Now Onyx.

In May: the 14th National Congress of Internal Medicine, the Dominican Society of Coloproctology Congress, the 27th International Neurology and Neurosurgery Congress at the Paradisus Palma Real;

In June-July, the Dominican Society of Anesthesiology Congress at the Meliá Caribe, the Dominican Perinatal Society at the Hard Rock Punta Cana, the 14th Central American and Caribbean Nephrology Congress; the Dominican Ophthalmology Congress at the Paradisus Palma Real, the Dominican Society of Otorhinolaryngology at the Hard Rock Punta Cana, the Interamerican Congress of Radiology at the Hard Rock Punta Cana;

In September: the 25th Congress of the Latin American Association of Liver Illnesses at the International Convention Center Punta Cana; the 23rd Congress of the Iberoamerican Pediatrics Urology Society at the Hard Rock Punta Cana;

In November: the Latin American Oediatrics Neumology Congress at the Onyx resort in Punta Cana;

In December: the 39th International Orthopedics Congress of the Dominican Orthopedics Society at the Hard Rock Punta Cana.

Shorter migration and customs times for ferry passengers
Ferries del Caribe passengers now have an easier time passing through migration and customs with the start of the Automated Passport Control System for expedited migration and customs entry. The expedited service is offered on board the vessel M/V Kydon that navigates between the ports of San Juan, Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, transporting passengers, vehicles and cargo, three times a week.

The formal announcement was made on 29 January 2018 at the Pan American Dock in San Juan, Puerto Rico with participation from the leadership of America Cruise Ferries, parent company of Ferries del Caribe, and representatives from the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico’s Department of State, Department of Economic Development, Tourism Company and Port Authority.

The service means shorter wait times, less congestion and faster processing, said Edwin Cruz, area port director. “With this APC on board the ferry, passenger clearance is facilitated in such a complex operation while sustaining our security standards,” he said.

The APC is a program that expedites the entry process for US citizens, US legal permanent residents, Canadian citizens, Visa Waiver Program eligible international travelers, and travelers entering with a B1/B2 or D visa, by providing an automated process through CBP’s Primary Inspection area.

Travelers use self-service kiosks to respond to CBP inspection related questions and submit biographic information. APC is a free service, does not require pre-registration or membership, and maintains the highest levels of protection when it comes to the handling of personal data or information.